If wine should have a seasonal bent – and I think it should, despite the marketing people telling us we can drink ice-cold rosé and pinot grigio all year round (yes, we know we can, but do we actually want to?) – then we are firmly in late autumn now, and I know exactly the kind of bottle to buy.

This is the sort of hearty red to pair with red-meat stews and steak pies; roast leg of lamb spiked with garlic; spice- and onion-packed Indian curries; and the richest of cheeses. Or just for hunkering down with, in front of the fire.

Best candidates for the job are reds from hot vineyards: South Australian shiraz, southern French blends; chunky South American carmenères and malbecs; peppery Rhône reds; South African whoppers. Happily, many bigger reds from these regions are relatively good value for money – unlike the wines of, say, Burgundy, Bordeaux or California's top spots – and £7 to £10-ish can bag you a beauty.

They benefit from a bit of air, but don't just remove the cork early, as this has little effect. Get your full-bodied red right out of the bottle: decant the lot, or simply roll the liquid round big-bowled glasses before moving in to savour all that rich, spicy fruit.

A full-on, intense Aussie, bristling with blackcurrants and finishing on a sweetly ripe note redolent of black fruit pastilles. Big enough to take on roast lamb.

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